OUR FAVORITE 3D PRINTED FINDS FOR 3D PRINTING DAY

This morning while looking at Twitter I came across a particularly intriguing find: today is 3D Printing Day*. Obviously it is not an official holiday, but today's 3D Printing Day is a celebration that I can completely get behind. We use 3D printing to create all of our products, so it goes without saying that I'm a big fan and proponent of this technology.

3D printing is an amazing technology. It's been around for a few decades, but is just now coming into its own as a viable means of manufacturing. It has huge potential to change small businesses and local industries as well as the way that we make and consume products. Did I mention the wow factor about it? There's nothing more amazing than seeing something materialize layer by layer in front of your eyes! I think the best way to show off the power of 3D Printing is by showing examples which are useful or bring a smile to your face.

In honor of 3D Printing Day, here are my favorite 3D Printed projects (one of which you can even make yourself!):

Pencil Vase by aleksandar on Shapeways.

Insect Bracelet by paralogical on Shapeways.

Peep Bird Pendant by rustylab on Shapeways

Mini Shelf for Crankbunny Paper Puppet Dolls and Toys by Crankbunny.

Bicycle Spoke Beads by JonMonaghan on Thingiverse.

* For the curious, the logic behind this is the date is December 3rd, or D3, which is the inverse of 3D.  

Images above via shapeways.com, crankbunny.com, and thingiverse.com.

BEER BREAD: SCIENCE IN THE KITCHEN!

Last week while browsing through Pinterest and Instagram, I came across the completely new to me concept of beer bread. Long story short: you make bread with beer. Despite my love of baking and basic chemistry knowledge, I was fascinated that this is something that exists, and that it is easy to make. Surprisingly all of the ingredients were already in my refrigerator and I got started on trying this baking experiment.

I'm not entirely sure of the chemistry behind it, but my loose understanding of beer bread making is that when yeast (from the beer) meets up with the baking powder and the starches in the flour, the dough starts to rise and leaven. There's no kneading involved or having to wait for yeast to rise, so this is really easy to make, plus its fun to watch the dough start to bubble and foam when you pour in the beer!

How You Make It

What You'll Need:

3 Cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon Salt

12 fluid ounces (your typical glass bottle) of beer, I used Sweetwater Whiplash.

What To Do:

Set your oven to 375°. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and stir them together well. Slowly pour in the beer and mix it into the batter while being amazed by the science happening in front of your eyes! Pour the mixture into a greased 8"x4" baking pan and bake for 45-55 minutes. Poke with a toothpick to see if your bread is done. If the toothpick comes out clean, your bread is ready.

I baked this late at night, so I don't have any good pictures of the making process to share. The beer I used is a seasonal brew from Sweetwater, a Belgian IPA, but you can use any beer that you have available.

The bread came out delicious, and I can't wait to eat more of it and try other variations on the recipe. Next week I'm planning to try it with rosemary and other herbs from my rooftop garden. Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures of the making process next time!

Hat tip to the blog Farm Girl Fare for showing me what to do!

STREETS ALIVE! A CAR FREE PARTY IN THE STREET!

Last weekend Atlanta welcomed Streets Alive to the streets of some of its more walkable neighborhoods. Streets Alive is a twice a year event where roads and streets are closed off to car traffic, and pedestrians and cyclists have free roam of the space. This time, the event connected the Atlanta Beltline with Virginia Highland, Inman Park, and Boulevard. The event turns into more of a party, with bicycle parades and a general convivial atmosphere. 

Atlanta has its problems when it comes to transportation, but events like this show that the city is ready for more walkable and bikeable streets. Streets Alive is based on Ciclovía, an event in Bogota where streets are closed weekly to car traffic, and open exclusively for the use of pedestrians and cyclists.

ART BIKES FOR SOPO BICYCLE COOPERATIVE

Friday night the bike we painted for Sopo's Art Bike Auction will be on display at the Big House in Atlanta. Sopo Bicycle Cooperative is an Atlanta organization that brings access to bicycles to all people. Sopo teaches classes about bicycle maintenance and repair, and also has a program to let anyone build their own bike for a low cost.

If you're interested in attending, RSVP on facebook. For more information about Sopo and the Art Bike auction, visit http://www.artbikes.sopobikes.org/.

Photo by Scott Lowden.

NEW ITEMS IN BOLD NEW COLORS, DIRECTLY FROM SHAPEWAYS

We're excited to bring to you new bold colors for fall and winter this year. We're adding coral red, bright pink, and violet to our repertoire of colors. We also have new bike planters that clip onto your handlebars for you to have more ways to accessorize your ride. Since these products are shipped to you directly from our 3D printing company, we're able to offer them at a better price so you can carry more plants with you on adventures!

International customers, you can orders these items directly from our Shapeways shop.

VISITING CHICAGO'S LINCOLN PARK CONSERVATORY

Last month I got the chance to travel to Chicago. I always associated the city with cold and snow, and I never imagined that the city could be so beautiful in the summer. Since the weather was so beautiful during my stay, a little bit of adventuring was in order to see what the city had to offer. The Lincoln Park Conservatory was a short walk away from my hotel, so a visit there was definitely in my travel plans.

Botanical Gardens are one of my favorite things to visit in any city. It's fun to step into a different climate and see flora you wouldn't normally see. Even though the weather outside was beautiful, it's still fun to step inside the greenhouses and explore something new.

The Chicago Conservatory isn't very large, but they have enough of a selection to imagine you've travelled to a tropical destination. Also, since the Conservatory is a public park, its free to visit which makes the trip that much better.